Tool-lock.



H. A. ZECKENDORF.

TOOL LOCK.

APPLlcATlou HLED APR. 1. 1911.

1,259,'74 Patented Mal. 19, v191g.

TOOL-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed April 7, 1917. Serial No. 169,386.

`To all fwhom t may concern:

which will securely lock the tool to its handleand allow it to bereadily removed therefrom. Another object of my invention is to providea lock which will hold the handle in the eye of a tool when the said eyeis tapered in only one direction instead of the double diverging taperscommonly used. By the use of a single taper the tools and handlestherefore are cheaper to manufacture, and owing to the possibility ofmaking perfect eyes the handles are interchangeable and make possiblethe standardization of the eyes of tools and handles therefor. Furtherobjects in the invention are to provide means for securing the lockagainst displacement and to prepare the handle for the reception of thelock.

lVit-h these and other objects in View the invention consists in thenovel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation, showing the improved lock used vinconnection with an ax.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the tang of the handle, showingthe opening therein for the lock.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the improved lock assembled but notpositioned in the tool.

Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of the three principal members of thelock slightly separated from each other to better show theirconstruction.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the lock, showingthe spring member used in connection therewith.

Fig. 6 is a view in section through the tool and handle, showing thelock positioned therein.

Fig. 7 is a view in section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Referring to corresponding parts by the same numerals of reference, 1denotes a tool, in this instance an ax, having an eye 2 elliptical incross section and tapered from end to end, as shown. Formed in the wallson both sides of this eye is a circular opening 3 for the reception ofthe lock.

rlhe tang of the handle l is shaped and tapered to correspond with theeye 2 and is provided with a circular opening 4, which, when the tang isseated in the. eye, will aline with the opening 3 in the tool. From theouter edge of the opening 4C a slot 5 is provided extending to the endof the handle, and formed on the opposite side of the hole 4 is anarc-shaped recess 6 extending across the tang.

The lock consists of a plate-shaped member 7 adapted to fit slot 5 andof equal width with the tang of the handle. rl`his member is providedwith a head 9 of the same shape as recess 6 and is adapted to resttherein when the body fits slot 5. The plate and head are providedwithslots 8, one on each side, extending longitudinally thereof, which arecut only partially through except at the end thereof, leaving a thin web10 to hold the two halves together. Within the slot thus formed is aspring l1 having' the curved ends 12, which normally lie within theperiphery of head 9, and one of these curved ends is provided with alaterally bent portion 17, which extends into a slot 18 cut transverselyof the head 9.

Adapted to be placed one on each side of the plate 7, adjacent to thehead 9, are two segmental keys 13, which are alike in shape and togetherform a cylinder having the diameter of the hole 3 and a length equal tothe thickness of the tool. The main portion of these keys is a segmentsmaller than a semicircle by half the thickness of the wedge 7, whilethev shoulder portion 14 thereof is by the same amount larger than asemicircle. Thus when these keys are assembled an opening is providedthrough which the wedge may pass and the portions projecting beyond thewedge form a complete cylinder which exactly fits opening 3.

The curved portion 12 of spring 11 normally projects outside of theundercut 15, and when the parts are assembled this portion of the springenters the slots 16 in the keys. The tool is locked by first placing thewedge 7' with the spring imposition in the slot 5 and then positioningthe tool on the tang. This brings openingsY 3 and el in alinement sothat byVY inserting the end of key 19 into slot 8 and pressing onspringA 11 the two keys may be inserted from oppositev sides. l Y ll/Vhen the key is withdrawn the resiliency of the curved end 12 causestliespring to rise until the shoulders 12 enter the slots 16", whichthus prevent lateral displacement of these keys. Now with these keysheld it will'b'e apparent that it will be impossible foi-.the tooli toaccidentally dislodge from the handle. When, however, it is necessarytol replace the handle'it is only necessary to depressthe spring 11 by akey 19 or other flat'objectsv and thenpress out keys 13, allowing thetool to be' easily removed.

While l have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofy myvinvention, it will, ofcourse, be understood' that' changes inIninorvdetails` and form of construction maybe resortedito withoutdeparting from` the spirit thereof.

Having thus' ldescribed my invention, what I claim and desire to'secureby Letters Patent is- 1. The combination with a handle having a slotformed in one end andan enlarged opening in the lower end of the slot,of a.

tool ada ated to be received by the' slotted end of tie handle, saidtool having a transverse opening formed therein in alinement with theenlarged lower opening in the han dle slot, a locking bar adapted to bereceived by the handle slot, a sectional key insertible through thealined transverse openings in the tool and handle, a spring membercarried byv the locking bar adapt-ed to engage the key and secure itagainst endwise removal,Y and manually operable' means for depressingsaid spring to release the key and to permit removal thereof;

2. rlhe combination with a handle having a slot formed in one end and anenlarged opening in thelower end of the'slot, of a tool adaptedto bereceived by the slotted end of'the handle, said toolhavin'g a trans'-verse opening formed therein in alinement with the enlarged loweropening in the'handle slot, a'locking bar adapted to be received by thehandle slot, a key insertible through the alined transverse openings, alocking membercarried bythe looking bar adapted to secure kthe keyagainst endwise removal,

and manually operable means for releasing said locking. means to permitremoval of the key.

3; A tool lock comprising a lock bar, aV head'on saidbar extendingoutwardly 'from` the' opposite sides thereo'f, a' slot extendinglengthwise'yo'f said A lock bar," a spring located within said slot yand having laterally extending ends conforming approximately to theshape of the said head and normally projecting above the outwardlyextending sidesv ofsaid head, keys-'having their inner faces adapted toengage the sides of the lock bar, and outwardly extending shoulders ofsaid head projecting-over the edges of said lock bar, the extendingendsof said 4l. The combination with toolhead hav- Y ing'a circularopening disposed transversely across the eye thereof, a handle havingaslot in the tang thereof communicating with a transverse openingtherein'adapte'd'to aline with the opening in said toolhead, a lockingwedge, anv enlarged head thereon having outwardly extending shoulderson'the sides thereof, and the' lower portion conforming` to the contourof the transverse openingf'in' said handle, said locking' wedge havingaY longitudinally extending slot in the sides thereof and across saidhead, a transverse slot across the outer end of' said head, ai' springmounted in :said first mentioned slotr and having curvedendsconformingin out'- line tothe shape of saidhead and adapted to normallyextend above 'the outline of said outwardly extending shoulder, an armon one of said bent ends extending into said transverse slot, and keysextending through the alining openings in said tool head'and said handleand having their inner faces adapted to iit said lock' bar, andthe outerfaces adapted to lit the contour of the upper portion of said transverseopenings and having slots in the lower edge ofv said' keys into vwhichthe laterally curved ends of said spring are adapted to engage toprevent transverse movement of said keys.

The combination with a handle, therv tang thereof which is provided fitha slot and a transverse opening in' communication therewith formed inthe shape of large and! small intersecting cylinders, vand a'to'ol hav'-ing'a transverse' opening adapted'to aline with the larger portion ofsaid opening said handle, ofV a. loekbar having a wedge adapted to fitsaid tapering slot,a head adapt; ed to fit said'smaller portionofth'e'transverse opening, a slot longitudinally extend ingtherein, aspring in said'slot, and segmental keys adapted to embrace said 'wedgeand extending through said larger'portion of said transverse opening insaid handle and the opening in the tool having notches adaptedt'obeengaged by said spring for' the purpose ofv preventing transverse'mov'ei ment of said keys;V

6. InaV tool lock,`ahan`dle having a slot" terminating in an enlargedhole, a tool having an opening receiving the handle and a hole forregistry With the handle hole, a locking element received in the handleslot, a pair of key members insertible in said registering holes andengaged With the opposite sides of said element, each of said keymembers having a notch therein, and yieldable means straddling thelocking element and having its ends releasably engaged with therespective notches of the key members to hold the latter in place and topermit removal of the key members upon release.

7. In a tool lock, a handle having a slot terminating in a hole, a toolformed to receive the handle and having ahole for registry with thehandle hole, a locking member in the slot, a key receivable in saidholes and having a transverse cut-out, and spring latching means borneby said member and having a part movable into and out oit' engagementwith the cut-out, and havingl a part to enable actuation thereof to moresaid first named part out of said cutout of the key.

8. In a tool lock, a handle having a hole and a tool formed to receivethe handle and having a hole intermediate its top and bottom parts forregistry with the hole in the handle, a slidable key insertible in saidholes, and spring latching means for the key housed Within the handleand engageable with and disengageable from the key to hold the latteragainst sliding.

E). In a tool lock, a handle having a hole and a tool formed to receivethe handle and ha rving a. hole for registry therewith, a key insertiblein said opening, said key having a transverse notch, and a yieldablespring housed in the handle and having one end formed to engage in thekey notch and having a part adjacent an end of the handle to allow ofoperation of the spring to release the key.

10. In a tool lock, a handle having a hole,

a tool formed to receive the handle and having a hole for registry withthe handle hole, a key movable transversely of the handle and tool andinto and out of said registering' holes, latching means engageable withand disengageable from said key, and means to enable release of saidlatching means from engagement With the key by imparting a mere thrustto the latching means.

l1. In a tool lock, a handle having a hole, a tool formed to receive thehandle and having a hole for registry with the handle hole, a keymovable transversely of the handle and tool and into and out of saidregistering holes, and depressible means transversely engaged with thekey to removably latch same in place.

12. In a tool look, a handle having a slot terminating in an enlargedhole, a tool having an opening receiving the handle and a hole forregistry with the handle hole, a locking element received in the handleslot, a pair of key members insertible in said registering holes andengaged With the' opposite sides of said element, each of said keymembers having a notch therein, and a spring held unitary latchingmember having means to simultaneously engage in the notches oi each ofthe key members.

13. In a tool lock, a handle having a transverse hole, a tool formed toreceive the handle and having a transverse hole intermediate its top,bottom and end portions, a key slidable into and out of said holes, andreleasable means to hold the key against sliding` and upon release toallow the key to be slid so as to be moved completely out or' bothholes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

HUGO A. ZEC/KENDORF.

Witnesses JOHN H. HERRING, l/V. `W. HEALEY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, B. C.

